Press release:

The Batavia Cemetery Association is excited to announce that the annual Halloween Candlelight Ghostwalk is back! Join us to meet the famous and infamous movers and shakers who shaped and influenced the City of Batavia on Saturday, October 23rd, 2021, on a ghost walk through the Historic Batavia Cemetery on Harvester Avenue in Batavia, NY. 

The guided tour on candlelit paths will bring guests to meet men and women of Batavia, who, for various reasons, held great power and exerted great influence in their day, were victims of tragic events, or both. Philemon Tracy, one of the few Confederate officers buried in the north, Ruth the unknown victim of a horrendous murder, Joseph Ellicott, a man of great power and great flaws, and William Morgan, the man who disappeared and was allegedly murdered before he could reveal the secrets of the Masons, are some of the ghosts who will tell their stories on the tour.

Also visiting will be Civil War veteran General John H. Martindale, who was Military Governor of the District of Columbia in 1865 and James Holden, a sergeant in the American Revolution. Dean and Mary Richmond, who greatly influenced business and civic life in Batavia in the 1800s, will meet with guests in their beautiful mausoleum on the last stop of the tour. Mr. Richmond made a great fortune in Great Lakes shipping and was the second president of the New York Central Railroad. Mrs. Richmond vastly expanded her husband’s fortune after his death and sat on the boards of many businesses and civic organizations. 

Tours begin at 7:00 p.m. and run every fifteen minutes until 8:30 p.m. Admission is $10 and includes refreshments. Reservations are required. Proceeds benefit the upkeep and restoration of the cemetery. For more information, or to make reservations, contact (585) 943-5662.
 

Julie Muntz, a Genesee County Youth Court member since 2018, and a 2021 Graduate at Oakfield-Alabama Central School was one of the 30 Youth Court members who applied for the Association of New York State Youth Courts Scholarships. The ANYSYC awarded four regional scholarships and one Judge Judith Kaye Memorial Scholarship. The Judge Judith Kaye Memorial Scholarship was awarded to the highest graded applicant, which was awarded to Julie! Julie received the highest grade on her application out of the other 30 youth from all over New York State. To qualify for the ANYSYC scholarship, the youth court member must be a graduating senior and a member of a Youth Court Program that paid membership dues to ANYSYC in 2021. The applicant must enroll in a 2 or 4-year program at an accredited college/university. The individual must be of good moral character, have demonstrated civic responsibility through volunteerism, and have a good strong desire to make a contribution to his/her community. The process included an application, an essay including educational goals, career goals, why they are deserving of this scholarship, and what being a member of a Youth Court has done for them, along with one letter of recommendation. On behalf of ANYSYC, Julie was awarded $500 to put towards her college education where she is now attending Canisius College to study Animal Behavior. Julie plans to stay involved in the Genesee County Youth Court Program as an advisor which really shows her dedication and worthiness of this scholarship. Congratulations Julie!

Press release from AAA:

Today’s national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $3.15, down one cent from last week. One year ago, the price was $2.23. The New York State average is $3.23 – up one cent from last week. A year ago, the NYS average was $2.30. AAA Western and Central New York (AAA WCNY) reports the following averages:

• Batavia - $3.24 (up two cents since last week)
• Buffalo - $3.16 (up two cents since last week)
• Ithaca - $3.20 (up two cents since last week)
• Rochester - $3.20 (up one cent since last week)
• Rome - $3.27 (no change since last week)
• Syracuse - $3.18 (no change since last week)
• Watertown - $3.22 (up one cent since last week)

Gas prices began to fluctuate over the weekend due to Hurricane Ida impacting the Gulf Coast, though mostly in states in the storm’s path. A storm like this typically causes an increase in fuel purchases in the market and a slowdown in production due to oil refinery shutdowns. Spikes in pump price due to the effects of the storm tend to be brief but dramatic. Furthermore, the upcoming Labor Day weekend holiday travel could push prices up based on demand.

From Gas Buddy:

"While the national average price of gasoline declined yet again over the last week, Hurricane Ida has been causing countless disruptions to critical infrastructure, including oil production, refineries and pipelines. We're likely to see a reversal this week, but motorists need not be too concerned at this point," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy. "I expect the national average to rise in the neighborhood of 5-15 cents per gallon in the next couple of weeks- far smaller than the impact from Hurricanes Katrina and Harvey, but with damage assessments still to come, it’s possible we see slight deviation from that. While Colonial Pipeline shut Lines 1 and 2 as a precaution, it’s highly unlikely that this will cause any long-term disruption to fuel supply as we saw months ago after the company was hacked. The biggest question for refineries will be the flooding- which could alter the rise in gas prices, but the odds of a massive surge in gas prices nationwide are extremely low."

Genesee County came out much better than expected in terms of its financial health in 2020, according to the certified public accountant who conducted the municipality's yearly audit.

“You fared fairly well. You had budgeted a deficit, and you actually came out better than you had anticipated,” said Kathryn Barrett, director at Freed Maxick CPAs, P.C., as she and colleague Nicole Ryan summarized their report earlier this month for the Genesee County Legislature.

Barrett said the county took in about $5.3 million less than budgeted in 2020 (its fiscal year is January through December), but spent about $8.5 million less than budgeted.

“So, budget to budget, you did much better, and that helped build that positive fund balance,” she noted, adding that the audit uncovered no deficiencies or material items.

The county’s net position of primary governmental activities increased by $4.2 million from 2019 -- to $149.5 million, and its net position on business type activities increased by $2.9 million, she reported.

She said the audit looked at two sets of financial statements -- government-wide or “a picture of what you look like as an entity rather than a fund by fund basis” and fund basis or “how you look at yourself and manage your operations on a day by day basis.”

Genesee, at year's end, had a deficit of $19.8 million in the Tobacco Asset Securitization Corporation (which handles tobacco settlement funds), which is consistent with prior years, Barrett reported. The county, however, had positive balances in the self-insurance ($3.1 million, up $810,000); Workers’ Compensation ($1.8 million, up $1.2 million); and water ($3.9 million, up $1.4 million) funds.

Barrett said the county’s participation in the New York State Retirement System this year has had a significant impact on government-wide operations. She said the plan is underfunded, but some of that has to do with the fact that the plan was measured on March 31, right at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“That increased the net liability on the government-wide financial statements by about $5.4 million – it almost doubled from what it was last year,” she said. “So, that can go up and down in any particular year because of the assets that are invested in the open market and how they are performing at any particular point in time.”

Noting that the retirement system is funded at high levels – 96.3 percent in 2019 and 86.4 percent last year, she said it was a “temporary blip” and the county could see “a complete turnaround next year …”

Looking at the fund basis figures, the overall fund balance increased by $1.3 million in the general fund to a total fund balance of $44.4 million. She said the county used about $10 million of its capital reserve, but also set money aside for 2021 to offset any revenue loss, and also appropriated money for sales tax, Medicaid and jail debt service.

On the revenue side, revenues decreased by $1.6 million or 1.5 percent, again better than anticipated, while expenditures decreased by just less than $500,000 or .5 percent.

She said the county is considered a low-risk auditee, based in part on spending $2.2 million less in federal funding from 2020 to 2019.

For 2020, the county’s primary government invested $7.3 million in governmental activities capital assets, including $2.1 million in construction work in process, $280,000 in buildings and improvements, $3.7 million in infrastructure and $1.2 million in equipment, machinery and other capital assets.

The county tax rate was $10.11 per $1,000 of assessed value in 2020, up 7 cents per $1,000 of assessed value from the 2019 county tax rate.

Ryan commented on the management report section of the audit, stating, “We didn’t have any findings from the single audit and usually those are the most lengthy findings that we would have.”

She also said she found no significant issues.

One operational matter involving cybersecurity was identified, Ryan said.

“Our risk advisory services provide a little more of an in-depth look from the cybersecurity perspective, from that IT (Information Technology) perspective,” she said.

Barrett said Freed Maxick’s advisory group would be available to assist the county in addressing this issue.

“They’ve helped other clients in this area identify weaknesses and help them remediate and put together a plan of remediation,” she offered.

An ambulance fire is reported 5056 East Main Street, Batavia the Genesee County Fairgrounds.

A chief on scene says the ambulance is fully involved.

Town of Batavia Fire responding.

The Batavian reached out to Sen. Edward Rath (photo at right) and Assemblyman Steven Hawley (photo at left) today, seeking the Republicans' opinions on the eviction moratorium issue, mask mandates for schools, extending emergency powers to the executive branch and working with Gov. Kathy Hochul, a lifelong Western New Yorker.

ON RENT RELIEF, EVICTION MORATORIUM

“We’re talking about a lot of money across New York State to the tune of $2.7 billion, and it’s my understanding that only about 10 percent of that money has been allocated for rent relief for tenants as well as reimbursement back to the landlords,” Rath said. “That is absolutely shameful.”

He said the state “needs to get its act together” to get these funds to tenants and landlords. Currently, the process to release this money has been slow and cumbersome.

“I will do everything in my power to make sure that we have a system and a process in place to rapidly dispatch this money,” he added. “And, I know that this is a priority of Governor Hochul; I’ve heard her say it on a couple of occasions.”

The senator said that he would be willing to go back to Albany for a special session on this topic, and also to participate in “a sensible discussion” about ending the eviction moratorium.

Recently, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the state’s moratorium, which is scheduled to end on Tuesday, but Rath said that Hochul and some state legislators are talking about ways to extend it once more.

He said he is “absolutely” against another extension.

“We need to start getting back to normal. All of the housing courts have been shuttered for well over a year, so there’s no opportunity for a building owner or a landlord to get any relief through the housing courts,” he said. “We have had this extended evictions moratorium for a very, very long time, and we need to bring some normalcy back to our housing and to the landlords, who have been paying their bills or struggling to pay their bills without any relief.”

Hawley blamed New York’s obsolete technology and unfair financial practices in his assessment of the rent situation.

“Well, just like everything else, money – when it involves the government, it tends to be not like the real world, necessarily,” he said. “It takes forever. We have an antiquated system in New York State for pretty much dispersing any money.”

The assemblyman said municipalities and counties have been waiting for money from the state for months on end.

Time to Stop ‘Floating’ the Money

“It’s called the ‘float’ … where an entity keeps someone else’s money and utilizes it for something else,” he offered. “So, good luck to the governor in terms of getting the money out to where it should be. Frankly, I have great deal of concern for those folks – landlords across the state who haven’t had any rent coming in.”

Hawley brought up another point of contention: The inability of employers to fill open positions.

“There are folks who could be going back to work,” he said. “We have signs up and down Main Streets all across State of New York; I’m taking pictures of them, in fact, showing ‘Help Wanted,’ ‘Apply Within,’ ‘Apply Online.’ ‘Apply by calling a number.’

“What happens, unfortunately, is that people are receiving money from the government in many cases – whether it’s for unemployment or other reasons, and they’re not willing to go to work. This, basically, allows folks … to receive something for nothing.”

He noted that landlords are in difficult straits.

“It has been well over a year since many of them have had any cashflow coming in themselves -- whether they’re a retired person who decided to buy a property and lease it out or someone … who has a business and depends on that for their living, and they’re working,” he said. “We need to get people back to work. There are plenty of jobs out there and we have got to stop sending money for people not to work.”

He agreed with Rath that the state has to simplify the process so tenants will be able to complete the paperwork to access the federal funds, but he stopped short of saying that it’s the property owners’ responsibility.

“There are landlords that could assist with that, but we’ve also got Social Services in each county, Office for the Aging, Cooperative Extension, churches that might be able to help folks fill those out,” he said.

ON MASK MANDATES IN SCHOOLS

Gov. Hochul, entering her second week in office, has made it clear that she wants a universal mask mandate where everyone must wear masks inside school buildings.

This is what she said on Thursday:

“So, we’re going to have a mask mandate. Get used to it, my friends! I’m going to make sure that that environment for school is safe for our children, teachers, and administrators, so that’s why we’re going to have that across the state of New York.”

In the eyes of Rath and Hawley, that is not the best way to proceed. Both said they are not in favor of a “one size fits all” approach.

“I firmly believe that the local authorities and local school districts know what’s best and know what’s right for their school districts,” Rath said. “Albany certainly doesn’t know what is right for upstate and New York City does not know what’s right for upstate in regards to masks, vaccination and social distancing.

“Let’s empower our local school districts to come up with a strategy which is correct and appropriate for them. A rural and an agricultural school district is very different from an urban school district.”

Hawley said that he has been talking to superintendents in the area, and noted that some districts have already released their guidelines – many of them recommending, but not requiring, masks in the classrooms.

“Just three weeks ago, when the former governor was still in office, his commissioners and health department came up with a rule that said that locals should decide, that local county health departments and school districts and school boards should come up with their own plans because they know their area, their people and their percentage of positivity the best,” he said.

“Just look at the number of folks who live in New York City and the boroughs. Each of those boroughs have their uniqueness and their own response to the pandemic. Right now, oddly enough, NYC has the lowest positivity rate in the state.”

Hawley said counties should be able to decide for themselves, and that school districts reacted to what came out of Albany and we’re preparing accordingly.

“And then all of a sudden we have the new governor coming out with masks for all,” he said. “One size just does not fit all.”

ON EMERGENCY POWERS FOR GOVERNOR

Rath said he has “serious concerns” as far as reinstituting the governor’s emergency powers.

“What we saw in New York State was a unilateral approach from Governor Cuomo when he had the emergency powers, and I thought that it was inappropriate,” he said. “The state Senate and the state legislature, overall, is a co-equal branch of state government. No governor should have extended, unilateral emergency powers for decision-making, no matter if it’s a pandemic or if it’s times when we are not confronted with something like a pandemic.”

He said he would be vocal in his opposition to that for Hochul “because the Senate and the Assembly need to have a seat at the table and be a part of the decision-making process.”

Hawley said he wasn’t in a position to “guess” on whether that would happen or not, but shared that, again, “we don’t need a singular individual making up rules, regulations and mandates across the state …”

ON WORKING WITH GOV. HOCHUL

Both legislators said Western New York and the Finger Lakes Region should benefit from Hochul’s ascension to governor, but will be sure to remind her of this area’s needs and priorities.

“Kathy has represented this area as a county clerk, certainly as a member of the Hamburg Town Board as well as in Congress. So, she has a high level of awareness of our issues and our priorities,” Rath said. “She’s also going to improve the tone and tenor of our state government, there’s no question about that. The toxicity, if you will, of Governor Cuomo was really difficult to work within and we’re going to have a vast improvement there as well.”

He said Hochul knows the issues in this area, and “I’m going to be a very loud voice reminding her to prioritize what needs to be accomplished here in our communities.”

Hawley, noting that Hochul, a Democrat, represented most of his Assembly district, said he’s hopeful that she “remembers her roots, each of the restaurants and each of the churches, and the Holland Land Office and Orleans County, and remembers what it is like where we live as opposed to what it is like where folks from New York City live.”

He acknowledged that downstate lawmakers, due to the huge population they represent, tend to have more influence than others, but is hopeful that she will “do the right thing.”

“This mask mandate is not indicative of that, but we’re going to continue to work with her,” he said. “Personally, I like her, and we’ve always gotten along well together. Hopefully, she remembers that regardless of where we’re from, we’re all New Yorkers.

“We’re all residents of New York State, and we have different needs, wants and desires, and they ought to be recognized.”

Press release:

Chapin International, Inc. announces its continuing growth with another expansion in Kentucky. Following the successful startup of its Mount Vernon facility, due to business volume, there became an immediate need to further expand operations in order to meet continued demand for sprayers. The State of Kentucky once again sprang into action to assist Chapin in its need for space and dedicated employees. This culminated in the purchase of 1857 S. Danville Bypass, adding an additional 500,000 square feet of manufacturing and warehousing space. With this, Chapin now has more than 1.75 million square feet of production facility space in New York, Ohio, Michigan, and Kentucky combined. It will grow to have over 600 US-based employees and will be twice the size of any US-based sprayer producer and is positioned to compete with off-shore sprayer manufacturers well into the 2030s.

“As Covid continues to be an issue in the United States and the world, the increased demand for sprayers continues and the need to fight the spread is even more imperative. At the same time, people have had more opportunities to be at home and are enjoying gardening and improvement projects more than ever before. At the start of the pandemic, Chapin was at planned capacity. That was quickly overwhelmed by demand. With our recent expansion into Kentucky, we will now be able to produce over 12 million yearly sprayers in the United States as long as raw materials and labor is available,” said Jim Campbell, President.

“While adding capacity, Chapin has also expanded its capabilities and automation. Some of the new molders are larger and will allow us to produce sprayers up to 100 gallons. Chapin will expand the breadth of product for the homeowner, but also light agricultural use,” said Doug Platt, Plant Manager for Mount Vernon and the new Danville location. “The addition of five blow molding machines brings that facility up to twelve. The molders range in size from the smallest being a five-pound triple to the largest being a dual 40-pound molder. Most of those machines had been purchased from other companies. Previously tooled for automotive production, they will be rebuilt and put right into service making sprayers.” 

“This new capacity will put Chapin’s capacity on par with the largest manufactures in Europe, South America, and Asia. Chapin has become the predominant US Sprayer manufacturer. We continue to lower the cost of products through mass production making us the sure thing in the North American market. Whatever category Chapin enters, the consumer wins, with higher quality and lower costs,” said Bill Campbell, Vice President of Business Development.

“When we first went to Kentucky and met with the Judge (Holbrook) and Jeff Van Hook we told them we prefer to plan conservatively and move forward as fast as possible, the 10-year employment goal for 100 new jobs in the first 5 years was met in less than 12 months from the initial meeting,” said Jim Campbell.

The incentive program approved in Kentucky today provides additional tax abatements based on a new 300-person employment goal for the combined projects. Over the next 10 years, Chapin’s investment in Kentucky will surpass $16 million dollars. In addition to the tax abatement the city of Danville, Kentucky has been a great resource.

“The people of Rockcastle and Boyle Counties are ready to work!” Campbell attributes this to the prudent state economic policies and the exceptional work ethic of the Kentucky people. This is why business is thriving in Kentucky and continues to rank highly, nationally. “We are excited to be part of the continued growth of business in Kentucky”.

Chapin International is based in Batavia, New York.  The company is a leader in the design, manufacturing and marketing of industry-leading high-quality compressed air sprayers used in home, garden, and commercial applications. Chapin also makes a full line of spreaders, irrigation products, and accessories. Chapin was established in 1884.  The company also conducts business via Chapin Custom Molding in Elyria, Ohio, and three additional Chapin International operations in Coopersville, Michigan, Clarence, New York, and Mount Vernon, Kentucky. 

Press release:

Hecate Energy, a leading developer, owner, and operator of renewable power projects and energy storage solutions in the United States, held an informational open house on August 25. Located under a pavilion at the Elba Village Park, the event was designed to inform members of the community about the proposed Cider Solar Farm. More than 50 attendees were present to learn about the scope of the project and the ways in which the local community and environment are expected to benefit.

Due to health and safety concerns related to the coronavirus, Hecate has held three prior informational open houses in a virtual format. In this in-person event, Hecate’s first relating to the Cider Solar Farm since the outset of the pandemic, guests were able to visit educational stations while enjoying refreshments catered by Chap’s Diner, a local restaurant. Representatives from Hecate Energy were on hand to discuss the information and answer questions.

“I think the people in this area were really happy to be able to come out and see why we’re so excited about this project,” said Harrison Luna, Cider Solar Farm’s project developer. “It was also an opportunity to hear some specific concerns from residents and how we can improve the project to address them. In most of these cases, we are able to refine our design to address such concerns.

The proposed Cider Solar Farm is expected to create over 500 construction jobs and will be capable of supplying 920,000 megawatt-hours of renewable electricity per year – enough to power over 120,000 average New York households

Q. What is a Workers’ Compensation claim?
A. A Workers’ Compensation claim is a legal action that occurs when you get hurt during the course of your employment. In New York State you cannot sue your employer. When you get hurt at work, the Workers’ Compensation system provides for lost time financial payments and medical treatment required as a result of your work-related injury.

Q. How do I know if I have a Workers’ Compensation claim?
A. If you sustain an injury during the course of your employment, you should contact our office for a free case evaluation as soon as possible. We can help you determine if you have a Workers’ Compensation claim and assist you in filing the proper paperwork.

Q. How long do I have to file a Workers’ Compensation claim?
A. You are required to report your injury to your employer within 30 days. There is also a two-year time limit to file a claim with the Workers’ Compensation Board. Failure to adhere to these time limits can result in a denial of your claim.

Q. Is a Workers’ Compensation claim my only recourse if I am hurt at work?
A. In New York State, you cannot sue your employer. In some circumstances, a personal injury lawsuit can be filed in addition to a Workers’ Compensation claim. This includes, but is not limited to, injuries sustained in a work-related motor vehicle accident, constructions injuries, or injuries sustained at a location not owned by your employer. Our team of attorneys at Dolce Panepinto will assess your claim to ensure that every legal avenue available to you is pursued.

Q. How much does a Workers’ Compensation Attorney cost? 
A. Workers’ Compensation fees are generated on a contingent basis. This means that we only receive payment if we generate money in connection with your Workers’ Compensation claim. More information on contingent fees can be found here. Additionally, our attorneys can explain our attorney fees in greater detail.

Q. Do I need an attorney?
A. While an attorney is not required, it is strongly recommended that you retain an attorney. The Workers’ Compensation Law is complex, confusing, and often difficult to navigate. The insurance carrier will have an attorney fighting on their behalf, we recommend that you have an attorney fighting on your behalf. Having an attorney means ensuring your rights are protected, maximizing your benefits, and making sure your questions and concerns are addressed.

Dolce Panepinto works tirelessly to protect the rights of injured workers by making sure that those responsible are held accountable. If you or a family member are injured at work, or in your private life, contact us today for a free case evaluation at (585) 815-9003. For further questions regarding Workers' Compensation Law or to contact Dolce Panepinto: click here.

Press release:

A Million dollar capital project to replace the air header system at the Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) is nearly complete.  This morning the air delivery system was placed back in service for all three ponds serviced by the line.  

Over the next week, we are hopeful that there will be marked improvements of odors coming from the Waste Water Treatment Plant as the ponds recover from the previously compromised air supply.

The City advanced the project to the top of the capital improvement list for 2021, but supply chain delays delayed the project by about two months.  Upon material delivery, Keeler Construction Company of Albion, NY, worked an accelerated schedule to get the system back in service.  Other than the incidental, restoration the project is substantially complete.  

Flows from users with heavy constituents will be added back into the system gradually over the next few weeks to ensure that there is not a major impact on the system. 

The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decisions to put an end to eviction moratoriums imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic were long overdue, according to a Batavia landlord who says months and months of not receiving rent have affected property owners big and small.

“There’s probably 50 percent of the houses in Batavia that are rentals and have landlords, and it really has affected people,” said Duane Preston, owner of Preston Apartments LLC. “A lot of it affects the little guys. If you have one or two houses and have tenants that aren’t paying, that really hurts.

“That’s 50 percent of your income that’s coming from the rent. The other 50 percent, you have to pay taxes and utilities. You’re not going to make the mortgage.”

Preston said that large city property owners with sprawling apartment complexes or housing developments have been severely hampered.

“We’re in a little town of Batavia, where we have a feel of who we have for tenants. But go to the big cities like Buffalo or Rochester, and you have hundreds and thousands of units, that will really affect them a lot more than just little me,” he said.

While landlords across the country are out billions of dollars in back rent, they now have the right to evict tenants due to the Supreme Court’s ruling on Thursday to allow evictions to resume.

The highest court’s Conservative majority blocked the Biden administration from enforcing a temporary ban enacted by the Centers for Disease Control.

The Associated Press reported that about 3.5 million Americans will no longer have these protections, stating the CDC did not have the authority to re-institute the moratorium without “explicit congressional authorization.”

Prior to that, on Aug. 12, the court struck down New York State’s eviction moratorium, known as the COVID Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention Act, which had been set to expire on Aug. 31.

Per a story in The New York Post:

“Renters no longer can evade evictions “by submitting a hardship declaration form to the state explaining lost income due to the pandemic or that moving would harm their health. A separate measure protecting renters who can prove to a court they’ve suffered because of the pandemic remains in place.”

Preston said New York’s rental assistance program is good in theory but has failed for two basic reasons: bureaucratic red tape in processing and the state holding most of the $2.7 billion in relief for tenants and landlords that it received from the federal government.

“The rent relief program money which is in the hands of New York State – only about 10 percent of that money has gone out, out of $46.5 billion (nationwide) that has been set aside for rent relief.,” he said. “How is that helping the landlord right now? It’s not. That money should be out to stop the evictions.”

He said that he has been stuck between a rock and a hard place.

“It’s not the rent relief program – that’s great if you can get the money – but you’ll still have tenants that just won’t pay and won’t help you get your money (by enrolling in the rent relief program),” he said. “They know they will be getting evicted after a year and a half that they’ve been in your house, and they don’t want to go through that process. So, the landlord is not going to get a dime. Those are the people we can’t get rid of.”

Preston said he regularly works with tenants who are late on their rent, but “it’s when the tenant doesn’t want to work with you; then we have no recourse.”

New York’s new governor, Kathy Hochul, earlier this week said she has a plan to expedite the $2.7 billion.

According to a story in The New York Daily News, Hochul said, “I am not at all satisfied at the pace this COVID relief is getting out the door. I want the money out now, with no more excuses and delays.”

Her office, per the story, indicated that steps to distribute this money include hiring more staff to process applications, implementing a rapid review of the program’s “workflow,” and reassigning 100 contracted staff to work solely with landlords to complete pending applications.

Willie "Hutch" Jones

On Monday, Terry Hills Golf Course hosted the annual Jim Kelly Celebrity Golf Classic, a year after it had to be canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions.  

Jim Kelly was unable to attend this year due to an injury.

Photos by Jim Burns.

Kato Kaelin

Fred Smerlas

Ed Rutkowski

Roger Goodell

Darryl Talley and Bruce Smith

Eric Wood

Warren Sapp

Daniel Baldwin

Team Terry Hills

Chris Berman

Over the years bakeries found homes on the corners of many Batavia streets, especially Ellicott Street.  There was nothing like the aroma of freshly baked bread wafting through the store.  It was a smell of comfort.

One of the earliest bakers was Louis Uebele, who came from Germany and settled in Batavia in 1900.  He was responsible for baking all of the bread that was served at the newly built New York State School for the Blind.  His building was on the corner of Main and Center Street.  That location had several owners over the years and was known at various times as Henning’s, Williams’ Bakery, and Andrews’ Bakery.  There were other bakers who baked out of their homes for their neighbors.

In 1905 the Hiscutt Brothers, Arthur and Robert, started a small business at 240 Ellicott St.  The business expanded and the brothers bought a lot on Center Street south of the Masonic Temple.  In 1921 the Hiscutts bought the lot next door to be used as a garage and shipping room.  They delivered baked goods via horse and wagon even though automobiles were a new commodity.  The Hiscutt Brothers ran a very successful business for more than 25 years.  By 1932 the completion of chain store bakeries was cutting into their profits.  In 1937 the Genesee Trust Company took ownership of the business.  It was then sold to R. Walter Riehlman of Tully, NY.  He changed the name to The Table Top Bakery. 

Table Top Bakery renovated the former Hiscutts’ building.  Two delivery routes were established and the cream and orange International trucks could be seen on the roads.  Eventually, Table Top Bakery was servicing nearly all of Genesee County.  Two 300-loaf ovens were in use 24 hours a day supplying bread and other products to meet the needs of their customers.  A retail shop was maintained at the plant for the convenience of local shoppers who opted out of the delivery service.

Quintalino and Lucia (Zinni) Prospero had a bakery on Ellicott Street.   Mr. Prospero was a skilled baker who emigrated from Abruzzo, Italy, and ran the Prospero Bakery at 421 Ellicott Street in the early 20th century.  Mr. Prospero trained Mr. Colangelo who later opened a bakery on Ellicott and Mr. Saracini who opened a bakery on Liberty.  Unfortunately, there was a fire at Prospero's bakery in the mid-1930s that resulted in the closing of the bakery.  Prospero's Bakery was the original Italian bakery in Batavia. It was remembered as the bakery that sold day-old bread for one cent to the poorer families.  

Colangelo’s Bakery was located on Ellicott Street and was commonly known as the Ellicott Bakery.  It was originally called Alexander Colangelo’s Bakery.  In the ‘30s there was a second Colangelo’s run by Nicholas Colangelo on 119 Liberty Street.  Nicholas Colangelo’s bakery closed in 1937 and Alexander Colangelo’s bakery was open until 1973.

Casmir Stomper came to Batavia from Poland in 1925.  He became familiar with the locals when, with a basket of bread over his arm, he went door to door making deliveries in the neighborhood. In 1930 he opened a Polish bakery at 208 Swan Street.  He later moved his bakery to 400 Ellicott. The bakery had a deep stone oven; an oil burner heated the bricks.  This way of baking was considered outdated and so were the wooden boxes that were used for the rye bread to rise.   Stomper’s customers did not notice the outdated equipment; they just wanted their famous rye bread. His son Jack ran a bakery on Oak Street. After his father died he moved to the Ellicott Street Bakery and continued the tradition of baking rye bread using the old family recipe. Stomper’s was known for the hearth-baked bread and many Polish delicacies such asrugalske, plechunki, placki, bobka, and piatzek.  All of his goods were made from scratch.  He learned his baking skills from an Army baking school during WWI and he also attended a national baking school in Chicago. Jack’s wife Veronica died in 1986.  He lost interest in the bakery and his customers were left without their famous rye bread and cakes.

Grundler’s bakery was a popular bakery run by Louis Grundler and later his two sons, Louis and Harold.  The shop opened in 1934 but Louis Grundler had been selling baked goods in Batavia long before that.  He came to Batavia from Bavaria when he was about 16 years old to work at Schwab’s Bakery in Rochester.  In the late ‘20s, he ran a bakery on Jefferson Avenue in Batavia called Scott’s.  He was looking for a business to buy and eventually found one in Oakfield.  About 1933 Mr. Grundler came back to Batavia and sold baked goods from a shop at 12 Main Street.  He continued to bake in Oakfield and brought his baked goods to Batavia by trucks.  A year later he leased 52 Main Street and moved his business and all of his equipment to Batavia, the mixing and kneading machine, bread slicer, the bake ovens, and the rest is history.  While on shopping trips to Batavia, many county residents would stop at the bakery to pick up a loaf of salt-rising bread, its buttery dinner rolls, or one of its specialty pastries.  Grundler’s Bakery served Batavia for more than 30 years.

Saraceni bakery was located on 245 Liberty Street and was built by Arthur Saraceni. Mr. Saraceni baked in his home at 119 Liberty Street from the early ‘30s.  The new shop was a little cement block building, which he called The Bake Shop.  He sold bread and buns until 1956 when he sold out to Frank Pellegrino.

Francesco Pellegrino, who was the patriarch of the Pellegrino Family, bought Pellegrino Bakery located on 245 Liberty Street from Arthur Saraceni in 1955.  Graziano Pellegrino had a bakery business in Reggio Calabria, Italy.  In 1955 he came to America.  His father Francesco put him in the bakery business with his brothers Rocco, Frank, Joseph, and Carmen.  They ran the bakery until 1974 when Graziano suddenly passed on. Graziano’s sons Frank, Rocco, and Vincent, along with Mama Angelina, took over the business and ran it in the proud Pellegrino tradition. Eventually, by 1980 Frank was left to run the business.  He moved the business to Center Street then in 1986 to Liberty Street across from the Pok- A- Dot.  He built a beautiful new building and the business tripled.  In 1991 Pellegrino Bakery closed.  In 1999 Pellegrino brothers Frank and Vincent were back with a new building, baking their famous Italian bread, rolls, doughnuts, pizza, pastries, and cookies.  In 2001 the business closed.   The building and property were sold and the building became the home of Ficcarella Pizza.

Once again a delicious part of our history is gone, but what is left are the scrumptious memories of warm bread, rolls, doughnuts, pastries, and many other delicacies that are perhaps not good for a person to consume in large quantities!  Long-time Batavia residents can almost close their eyes and still remember the aromas as you opened the door into these treasures of Batavia’s past.

Author's Note: Not all bakeries are listed in this article but would love to hear from those that were missed.

Press release:

Valerie L. Marucci, 42 of Attica pled guilty to one count of Disorderly Conduct and was sentenced to a one-year conditional discharge in Batavia Town Court on August 24, 2021.

Marucci was originally charged with two counts of Offering a False Instrument for Filing and one count of Grand Larceny 4^th after an investigation by Genesee County Department of Social Services Investigator Robert Riggi revealed that she failed to report income.  She subsequently received $2725 in SNAP benefits she was not entitled to.

In addition to the reduced charges and conditional discharge, Marucci was also disqualified from receiving SNAP benefits for one year and she has made full restitution to the Department of Social Services.

Anyone wishing to report suspected cases of Welfare Fraud in Genesee County can contact the Genesee County Department of Social Services Fraud Unit at (585) 344-2590, ext. 6417 or 6541

Randy J. Dumbleton Jr., 38, of Rochester, is charged with felony attempted assault 1st, assault 2nd, criminal possession of a weapon 3rd, and obstructing governmental administration. Dumbleton is accused of being involved in an incident on Lake Street, Le Roy, on July 22. On that date, Le Roy police officers were dispatched to a reported stabbing. Upon arrival, police located a female victim who had been stabbed twice in the arm with a pointed weapon and suffered a glancing scrape in the abdominal area.  During the investigation, Dumbleton was identified as the alleged suspect and was located nearby and taken into custody after trying to hide in a nearby wooded area.  Dumbleton was arraigned in Le Roy Town Court and ordered held in lieu of bail. Dumbleton was also referred to the NYS Division of Parole for an alleged parole violation.

Antonio Santiago, Jr., 43, of Ferndale Crescent, Rochester, is charged with harassment 2nd. Santiago allegedly punched and pushed a companion while at Darien Lake Theme Park at 5:55 p.m., Aug. 24.  He was arraigned in Town of Pembroke Court and released.

Press release:

Congressman Chris Jacobs (NY-27) released the following statement in response to the deadly bombings outside of Hamid Karzai airport in Kabul today.

“The attacks that occurred today outside of the airport in Kabul are horrific and tragically took the lives of 12 American service members. My heart is with each of their families, and I ask every American to join me in praying for them and every American service member still in harm’s way.

“This heartbreaking situation is the direct result of the President’s reckless withdrawal from Afghanistan. This administration must immediately present a coherent plan to secure the area around the airport, safely return every American from Afghanistan and extend the deadline past 8/31 until this is completed, and bring the terrorists who committed these atrocities to justice. 
 

Press release:

In support of Breastfeeding Month, today the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) held a virtual ceremony for its WIC Breastfeeding Award of Excellence winners in the Northeast Region, including seven in New York.

“USDA established the award program to recognize local WIC agencies that have provided exemplary breastfeeding promotion and support to WIC moms,” said Lizbeth Silbermann, Northeast Regional Administrator for USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service. "The intent is to provide models to help other WIC clinics strengthen their breastfeeding programs to increase breastfeeding initiation and duration rates nationwide.” 

A major goal of the WIC Program is to improve the health of babies and moms through breastfeeding; WIC serves about half of all babies born in the country and is uniquely positioned to help moms successfully breastfeed.

In New York the following WIC clinics received Gold awards: 

• Catholic Charities WIC of Buffalo, Buffalo
• Oak Orchard Health WIC, Batavia
• Ryan Health WIC Program, NYC
• Bedford Stuyvesant Family Health Center, Brooklyn
• Morris Heights Health Center WIC, Bronx
• SBH Health System, Bronx
• Northwell Health Staten Island University Hospital, Staten Island

“Peer counselors have a unique ability to relate to participants and play a key role in providing support beyond the office when parents need it most, especially throughout the pandemic,” said Corie Nadzan, WIC Director for New York State. “These awards highlight the dedicated efforts of WIC staff to empower families to meet their breastfeeding goals beginning prenatally, through delivery and beyond. Having worked in a local agency myself, I know this is no easy feat, and I am incredibly proud of these agencies for their outstanding services.”

The award is given at three levels of performance that build on one another: Gold, Premiere, and Elite. 

One hundred and one awards were handed out across the country throughout the month of August, including 16 awards presented today to clinics in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont.

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children - better known as WIC - serves to safeguard the health of low-income pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding women, infants, and children up to age 5 who are at nutritional risk by providing nutritious foods to supplement diets, information on healthy eating including breastfeeding promotion and support, and referrals to health care. More information about WIC can be found at www.fns.usda.gov/WIC.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) leverages its 15 nutrition assistance programs to ensure that children, low-income individuals, and families have opportunities for a better future through equitable access to safe, healthy, and nutritious food while building a more resilient food system. Under the leadership of Secretary Tom Vilsack, FNS is fighting to end food and nutrition insecurity for all through programs such as SNAP, school meals, and WIC. FNS also provides science-based nutrition recommendations through the co-development of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. To learn more, visitwww.fns.usda.gov.